How Nevada School Star Ratings Work — NSPF Explained for Parents

How Nevada School Star Ratings Work

Every public and charter school in Nevada gets a star rating from 1 to 5 each year. Every school in the state gets measured the same way, which makes it the closest thing to an apples-to-apples comparison parents have. But the number alone doesn't tell you much. What goes into it?

What Is the NSPF?

The Nevada School Performance Framework (NSPF) is Nevada's official school accountability system, administered annually by the Nevada Department of Education. It evaluates every publicly-funded school and assigns two things: an index score from 0 to 100, and a star rating from 1 to 5.

The NSPF covers all 17 county school districts plus the State Public Charter School Authority. A rural Elko elementary and a Las Vegas charter get judged by the same criteria. That consistency is exactly why the rating matters.

The Six Components That Build the Rating

Academic Achievement measures the percentage of students meeting or exceeding state standards in ELA, Math, and Science through the Smarter Balanced Assessment. This is the most heavily weighted component at most grade levels.

Academic Growth captures how much each student's scores improved year over year. A school with modest proficiency but strong growth is doing something right — and will outscore a school coasting on an advantaged zip code.

Closing Opportunity Gaps examines whether historically underserved groups — low-income students, English language learners, students with disabilities — are progressing at the same rate as their peers. A school can score highly on overall proficiency but lose significant points here if certain groups are being left behind.

Graduation Rate applies to high schools only. Both the 4-year and 5-year adjusted cohort graduation rates factor in. In 2024-25, Nevada's statewide graduation rate reached 85.4% — its highest on record.

College and Career Readiness applies to high schools. This includes AP and dual-enrollment credits, industry certifications, and meeting ACT or SAT college-readiness benchmarks.

Chronic Absenteeism penalizes schools where more than 10–20% of students miss 10% or more of the school year (roughly 18 days). Nevada's 2024-25 chronic absenteeism rate of 25.6% is above the national average, making this a differentiating factor across many schools.

What Each Star Level Means

In 2024-25, 146 Nevada schools earned 5 stars — up from 96 the year before. Here is what each tier actually looks like:

• 5 Stars: Index scores typically above 80. Consistently outperforming state targets across multiple measures.
• 4 Stars: Solid performers, often strong in proficiency or growth but with room to improve in one or two areas.
• 3 Stars: Meeting state targets in most areas. Roughly 30% of Nevada schools fall here.
• 2 Stars: Falling short of targets in multiple categories. Often accompanied by elevated absenteeism or widening opportunity gaps.
• 1 Star: Persistent underperformance. These schools are designated for intensive state intervention.

The Index Score Adds Precision

Two schools can both sit at 4 stars with index scores of 63 and 79 — a real gap that the star alone hides. Every school profile on NevadaSchools.org shows the full index score so you can compare within a tier.

What the Star Rating Does Not Tell You

The NSPF is powerful, but it has limits:

• It does not reflect extracurricular programs, culture, or community feel.
• It is not adjusted for location — a 3-star school in a rural district with few alternatives is a very different situation than a 3-star school surrounded by five 5-star options.
• Schools with fewer than 10 students in a measured group receive N/A for that metric. Very small, new, or specialized schools may be partially rated.

How to Use This When Choosing a School

Use star ratings to build your shortlist. Then dig into the individual metrics: which subjects are strongest, is the school growing, is absenteeism low? The rating narrows the field. A visit makes the call.

Compare every Nevada school's NSPF data side by side at NevadaSchools.org.